THE TRANSPORTATION OF FISH. /I 



CHAPTER XXII. 



THE TRANSPORTATION OF FISH. 



DOUBTLESS most people are familiar with the 

 milk-can, but probably few know the important part 

 it plays in fish culture. The cans are used for the 

 transportation of fish, and in all my experience I 

 have never found anything better or more con- 

 venient to handle. In shape the cans are like those 

 used by milkmen in delivering milk, and not like 

 the regular dairy can with straight sides. The 

 trouble with these is that the water slops about so 

 as to endanger the lives of young fry, in case they 

 should swim to the top of the water. With mature 

 or full-grown fish they will answer the purpose very 

 well. 



Our cans will hold about thirteen gallons, but 

 about eleven gallons of water is all that is placed 

 in the cans when fish are being transported, the 

 remainder of the room being left for aeration. The 

 bottoms of the cans are made perfectly flat on the 

 inside, as experience has shown us that in trans- 

 porting young fry, if the bottoms are oval or crown- 

 ing, the fry are very liable to settle about the edges 

 on top of each other, and unless they are constantly 

 watched and stirred, the under ones will smother. 

 With the flat bottom this danger is avoided in a 

 great measure. Young fry should not be shipped 

 until the yolk sac is sufficiently absorbed, so that 

 they can swim about in the can. 



